1. Chaucer and the Middle Ages
Text book pg
Title: Middle Ages
Write 5 interesting facts (things you do NOT already know)
Walk and Talk: Roam the room, talk to your classmates, look at their facts, and add 5 more facts to your list (copy!)
What makes these facts interesting/important?

2. The Canterbury Tales ~Geoffrey Chaucer~

3. St. Thomas a’ Becket Born – 1118 (date unknown) Died - Dec. 29th 1170
The Archbishop of Canterbury (England)
Becket disagreed with King Henry II and was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral
There have been several miracles in this cathedral

4. St. Thomas a’ Becket
After all the miracles, a shrine was put up in the cathedral
Becket was canonized a saint
People set out on a pilgrimage, to Canterbury Cathedral to pay homage to the shire of St. Thomas a’ Becket. Some believed that shrine had healing powers

5. Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales
1387 Chaucer wrote a free-verse poem about a pilgrimage to St. Thomas a’ Becket’s shrine.
The Canterbury Tales

6. To Know:
Chaucer uses characters to represent “everyman” from every walk of life (social status)
Characterization
Direct = author TELLS readers
Indirect = author SHOWS readers
Chaucer is the “Father of Modern English” because he wrote in the vernacular = everyday language
Frame story = a story within a story
Iambic Pentameter = 10 syllables per line
Rhyme Scheme = rhyme pattern
Chaucer uses aa, bb, cc, dd, ….

7. Canterbury Tales Setting: April, The Tabard Inn
“Prologue”- 29 pilgrims, the narrator, and the inn host are introduced.

8. Canterbury, United Kingdom

10. The Prologue The 29 are spending the night at the Tabard Inn.
The Narrator says he will describe and repeat everything he hears no matter how offensive.
The Host proposes that each pilgrim tell 2 tales on the way there and back.
The best tale will win dinner at the Inn

11. The Prologue
The pilgrims are made up of all 3 divisions of class in medieval society:
Feudal class
The Church
Merchant class

12. The Prologue
Chaucer’s characterization was unlike anything ever written before.
He creates a human encyclopedia by describing physical, social mannerisms, beliefs, and morals of each character.

13. The Characters
After the pilgrims are introduced in the prologue each character tells his or her own tale.

14. Themes
Marriage-Chaucer was obsessed with relationships between men & women
Beast tales- Several character either acted like animals or were compared to and described with animal characteristics.

15. The Poems
Originally Chaucer set out to write approximately 120 tales but ended up with the 22 we have today.

16. Code of Chivalry Have a strong sense of right and wrong
Be compassionate to the unfortunate and weak
Be discreet
Be merciful
Be truthful
Be clean and pure of purpose
Always be ready to defend a lady’s honor and fight for the church
Be sincerely religious
Be conscientious in administering justice
Keep vows and promises

17. Agree or Disagree???
For each of the following statements, you will do the following:
Write the statement
Agree or Disagree
One sentence WHY
After we have gone through several statements, there will be an activity that involves discussion.

18. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
Society should socially accept that it’s a man’s world.

19. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
Marriage is the key to a happy life.

20. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
Women and men cannot truly understand each other.

21. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
People can be fully redeemed from sins committed.

22. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
Money is the world’s source of sin.

23. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
Men want wives who will do everything they say.

24. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
A good relationship must have a leader.

25. Agree or Disagree? EXPLAIN
All people judge people before they get to know them.

26. Mark the TWO that you feel MOST passionate about
Get into small groups (4-5)
Each person has time to share his/her two statements
Everyone has time to respond
Each group selects one to present to class in one minute or less

27. Agree or Disagree?
Now, we will go back through the statements, and you will meet with classmates who share your opinion. In your groups, you will have two minutes with your peers to discuss WHY and come up with a brief argument supporting your claim. One person will then share the group’s consensus in 30 seconds.
There will NOT be a rebuttal from the other group. All opinion will be respected.

28. Disagreeing /Offering a Suggestion I don’t agree with you because
Disagreeing /Offering a Suggestion I don’t agree with you because Maybe we could I got a different answer than you. What if we I see it another way. Here’s something we might try. Expressing Polite Disagreement & Providing Reasons: I don’t entirely agree with _____ that My opinion/experience/perspective is different than _____’s. My idea is slightly different than _____’s.

29. Time to read! What is a prologue?
What might I expect to learn in the prologue?
The Prologue is in the Holt Reader
We will practice annotating it---we will note what we learn, why it is important, and elements of the author’s style.

30. *There will be 22 characters to go on your chart
Pilgrim
Examples of Direct Characterization
Examples of Indirect Characterization and what they reveal
Summary of Character
Example of poetic structure, author’s style, or figurative language

31. Example: Character (Narrator or Pilgrim) Direct Characterization
Indirect Characterization
Summary of Character
Knight, pg.122
- a distinguished man
-honored
-fought nobly for his king
-true and gentle knight
-fights bravely and loyally
-“sovereign in all eyes” = respected
-modest as a maid = humble
-fine horses but not gaily dressed = doesn’t care about appearances
The knight is a truly GOOD guy who is chivalric.

32. Pilgrims for Chart Knight, 122 Yeoman, 123 Nun, 124 Monk, 125
Friar, 126
Merchant, 128
Oxford Cleric, 129
Lawyer, 129
Franklin, 130
Guildsmen, 131
Cook, 131
Skipper, 131
Doctor, 132
Wife of Bath, 133
Parson, 134
Plowman, 135
Miller, 135
Manciple, 136
Reeve, 137
Summoner, 138
Pardoner, 139
Host, 141

33. Pilgrim Poster:
Identify your partner and pilgrim
Read your pilgrim’s introduction
Take notes (complete chart for your pilgrim)
Get poster paper
You will be the EXPERT who knows your pilgrim, so include the following on the poster you make to introduce him/her:
Name
At least SIX examples of characterization with each example labeled as direct (DC) or indirect (IC)
An illustration (draw your pilgrim or something that represents him/her)
A summary of your pilgrim
An example of the author’s style, poetic structure, or figurative language AND its significance
Partners will show poster to class and give a brief pilgrim introduction
Posters will be displayed on a Gallery Walk so everyone can take notes on each pilgrim